Linux Ghostscript Exploitation

SPLUNK detection rule by Raven Tait, Splunk · Apache-2.0

The following analytic detects exploitation of Ghostscript causing command execution. This can be used by attackers to abuse file conversion services or embedded LibreOffice documents.

name: Linux Ghostscript Exploitation
id: 580f99d8-a4c8-4ef1-9c84-f355867bca41
version: 2
creation_date: '2026-07-08'
modification_date: '2026-09-01'
author: Raven Tait, Splunk
status: production
type: TTP
description: |-
    The following analytic detects exploitation of Ghostscript causing command execution.
    This can be used by attackers to abuse file conversion services or embedded LibreOffice documents.
data_source:
    - Sysmon for Linux EventID 1
search: |-
    | tstats `security_content_summariesonly`
      count min(_time) as firstTime
            max(_time) as lastTime

    from datamodel=Endpoint.Processes where

    Processes.parent_process_path IN (
        "*/gs",
        "*/ghostscript"
    )
    Processes.process="*sh -c*"

    by Processes.process Processes.vendor_product Processes.user_id
       Processes.process_hash Processes.parent_process_name
       Processes.parent_process_exec Processes.action Processes.dest
       Processes.process_current_directory Processes.process_path
       Processes.process_integrity_level Processes.original_file_name
       Processes.parent_process Processes.parent_process_path
       Processes.parent_process_guid Processes.parent_process_id
       Processes.process_guid Processes.process_id Processes.user
       Processes.process_name

    | `drop_dm_object_name(Processes)`
    | `security_content_ctime(firstTime)`
    | `security_content_ctime(lastTime)`
    | `linux_ghostscript_exploitation_filter`
how_to_implement: |-
    The detection is based on data that originates from Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) agents. These agents are designed to provide security-related telemetry from the endpoints where the agent is installed. To implement this search, you must ingest logs that contain the process GUID, process name, and parent process. Additionally, you must ingest complete command-line executions. These logs must be processed using the appropriate Splunk Technology Add-ons that are specific to the EDR product. The logs must also be mapped to the `Processes` node of the `Endpoint` data model. Use the Splunk Common Information Model (CIM) to normalize the field names and speed up the data modeling process.
known_false_positives: |-
    Legitimate use of Ghostscript for document processing or file conversion tasks may trigger this rule. Filter based on known authorized applications that rely on Ghostscript for routine document handling.
references:
    - https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/rce-bug-in-widely-used-ghostscript-library-now-exploited-in-attacks/
    - https://codeanlabs.com/blog/research/cve-2024-29510-ghostscript-format-string-exploitation/
drilldown_searches:
    - earliest_offset: $info_min_time$
      latest_offset: $info_max_time$
      name: View the detection results for - "$user$" and "$dest$"
      search: '%original_detection_search% | search  user = "$user$" dest = "$dest$"'
    - name: View risk events for the last 7 days for - "$user$" and "$dest$"
      search: '| from datamodel Risk.All_Risk | search normalized_risk_object IN ("$user$", "$dest$") | stats count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime values(search_name) as "Search Name" values(risk_message) as "Risk Message" values(analyticstories) as "Analytic Stories" values(annotations._all) as "Annotations" values(annotations.mitre_attack.mitre_tactic) as "ATT&CK Tactics" by normalized_risk_object | `security_content_ctime(firstTime)` | `security_content_ctime(lastTime)`'
      earliest_offset: 7d
      latest_offset: '0'
finding:
    title: Linux Ghostscript exploitation identified via [$process$] by [$user$] on [$dest$]
    entity:
        field: dest
        type: system
        score: 50
threat_objects:
    - field: process_name
      type: process_name
    - field: process
      type: process
analytic_story:
    - Linux Post-Exploitation
    - Unusual Processes
    - Suspicious Command-Line Executions
    - Linux Living Off The Land
asset_type: Endpoint
cve:
    - CVE-2024-29510
mitre_attack_id:
    - T1204.002
    - T1566
    - T1059
    - T1068
product:
    - Splunk Enterprise
    - Splunk Enterprise Security
    - Splunk Cloud
category: endpoint
security_domain: endpoint
tests:
    - name: True Positive Test
      test_type: unit
      attack_data:
        - data: https://media.githubusercontent.com/media/splunk/attack_data/master/datasets/attack_techniques/T1204.002/linux_ghostscript_exploitation/snapattack_linux.log
          source: Syslog:Linux-Sysmon/Operational
          sourcetype: sysmon:linux

[[ currentRule.title && currentRule.title.length > 60 ? currentRule.title.slice(0, 60) + '…' : currentRule.title ]]

84ac9aaa-7cd0-4d96-838c-d8cd3a7ff39a

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Executable code, not a declarative rule

This submission is arbitrary [[ currentRule.format ? currentRule.format.toUpperCase() : '' ]] code, not a declarative detection rule — review it as you would any script before running it, and note that it cannot be safely aggregated or auto-executed alongside YARA/Sigma/Suricata/CRS rules.

Rejected pattern present

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Format & documentation suggestions

Not a security issue — this rule is valid and was accepted as-is. These are optional fields/conventions its own format recommends, mainly affecting its quality score and how well it documents itself for other reviewers.

[[ reason ]]

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[[ currentRule.title ]]

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